Traction-wheel.



Patented 1an. 30, |900.

l. S. KIMBBIEL.

TRACTIN WHEEL.

(Application led Jan. 31, 1899.)

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iurrinn STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lSl'lAM S. KIMBRIEL, OF SOMIS, CALIFORNIA.

TRACTlON-WHEEL.

SPECIFCATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 642,132, dated January 80, 1900.

Application filed January 31,1899. Sen'al No. '704,028t (No model.)

To all il/zom it 71mg/ concern,.-

Be it known that I, IsHAM S. KIMBEIEL, a citizen ofthe United States, residing at Somis, in the county of Ventura and State of California, haveinvented a new and useful Traction-Wheel, ot1 which the following,r is a speci cation.

My invention relates to improvements in tractioirwheels for use on Wagons and like vehicles, traction-engines, railway-cars, and other structures; and the primary object of said invention is to provide an improved construction in which the load or weight of the Vehicle may be utilized to aid in the rotation of the wheel in traveling over an obstruction or in ascending' an acclivity.

A further object of the invention is to provide a simple construction of traction-'Wheel in which the elements are arranged to secure distribution of the Weight or load on the Wheel and, furthermore, to minimize the lateral strain on the burden-Wheels.

lVith these ends in View the invention con sists in the novel combination of elements and in the construction and arrangement of parts, which will hereinafter be fully described and claimed.

To enable others to understand the invention, l have illustrated the samein the accompanyingdrawings, forminga part of this specilication, and in Which- Figure 1 is a side elevation of a traction- Wheel constructed in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on the plane of the vertical axis of the Wheel and indicated by the dotted line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional plan View on a plane through the horizontal axis of the Wheel and illustrated by the dotted line 3 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference denote like and corresponding parts in each of the several tigures ot" the drawings.

The t1action-wheel 5 consists of a substantial ring-like hub G, the radial spokes 7, and the tread S, all of which may be cast or other wise formed in a single piece of metal, or the parts may be constructed separately and firmly united when assembled in proper relat-ion, as may be preferred by the skilled constructor. The hub 6 is equal, substantially, to oneahalf the diameter of the Wheel, and

l this hub is made heavy enough to permit the formation of an internal groove 9, which pro vides an annular guide-track within the hub for the accommodation of the draft-Wheel, the burden-wheels, and the guide-wheel of the shiftable frame 10. This frame is made substantially of diamond shape, and its longer horizontal diameter is nearly equal to the diameter of the ring-like hub G; but the trans verse diameter of this frame is less than the diameter of the Wheel-hub for the purpose of accommodating a draft-Wheel of large diameter Within the Wheel-hub. The frame may be made ot' a single piece of metal, and it is stayed by a horizontal truss-bar 11, which extends in the direction of the longer diameter of the frame to be joined therewith at opposite corners, as clearly represented by Fig. 1.

The draft-Wheel 12 is equal in diameter to one-half the diameter of the ring-like hub 6, or substantially so, and this draft-Wheel is located with its center opposite to the lower corner of the diamond-shaped frame. The draft-wheel is mounted on or carried by a horizontal axle 13, which finds its bearing in the lower angle or corner of the frame 10.

Axles 14 15 are supported in opposite corners of the diamond-shaped frame to occupy posi- .tions above the axle 13 of the draft-Wheeland on opposite sides of the latter, and these axles carry the burden-Wheels 1G 17, which are arranged to ride in the annular guide-track 9 at diametrically opposite points of the ring-like hub 6. The burden-Wheels are of equal diameter, but they are much smaller than the draft-Wheel 12.

To maintain the shiftable frame in its proper upright position in the plane of the Wheel-hub, a guide-Wheel 18 is supported loosely by means of a stub-axle 19, which is connected to the upper corner of the diamond shaped frame, and this guide-wheel liesin the vertical plane of the draft-wheel 12 and engages with the annular guide-track 9 at a point diametrically opposite to the contact of the draft-wheel 12 with said guidetraok.

The beam 20, representative of the load or Weight of the vehicle, is connected With the axles 14 15 of the burden-Wheels in any suitable or approved Way, but the draft on the traction-Wheel is not transmitted by this beam.

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According to my invention a separate draft appliance 21 is employed for attachment directly to the shiftable frame in order to apply the draft or strain to the large draft-wheel 12 at the lower angle or corner of the shiftable frame. The draft appliance is represented as a bar 2l, connected with the axle13; but it will be understood that the draft appliance `may be connected with the frame at the lower corner thereof.

It is Well known that in ordinary vehicles the draft is transmitted by the axle to the wheels and the latter are adapted to have a rolling motion only on the axle. In my structure, however, the rods or bars forming the equivalent for the axle are mounted in the wheel-hub to have a limited shiftable play or movement therein with the frame 10, and these axle rods or bars sustain the load-beam, while the draft-beam 21 is connected to the lower part of the shiftable frame. In traveling on a level surface the Weight of the load is exerted in a vertical direction through the wheels 12 18 on the annular track of the wheel-hub, and this weight overcomes the pull of the draft-beam 21 on the shiftable frame, so that the wheels l2 1S remain in the plane of the vertical axis of the wheel-hub, While at the same time the wheel is free to rotate around the support afforded by the series of wheels on the shiftable frame. It will therefore be understood that on a level surface the frame 10 assumes a position where its longest diameter is in a horizontal plane and the axis of the.draft-wheel 12 and 'the guide-wheel 18 are in the plane of the vertitical diameter of the wheel. When the traction-wheel encounters an obstruction or travels up a grade, the line of draft by the draft appliance is changed and the position of the frame 10 is temporarily shifted for a limited distance, so as to move the draft-wheel 12 t0 a position somewhat in advance-of the vertical diameter of the Wheel, whereby the Weight or load is imposed temporarily on the wheel infront of the vertical diameter thereof. The

gravity of the Weight or load is thus imposed on the Wheel temporarily to assist in rotating the latter to ride over the obstruct-ion and the Weight of the load again restores the frame 10 toits normal position, whereby economy is obtained in the power required for rotating the wheel and propelling the vehicle. When the Wheelagain travels on a level surface, the line of draft is changed and the frame 10 is restored to the position shown by Fig. 1; but in passingr over the obstruction or in descending a hill the draft-line changes for the purpose of temporarily shifting the frame 10, so as to throw the draft-wheel 12 in a position somewhat in rear of the vertical diameter of the wheel, thus imposing a portion of the load on the wheel in a manner to assist in retarding the rotation of the traction-wheel, and the parts are thus adapted to shift back and forth as required in the operation of the structure embodying my invention.

It will be observed that the load-beam is connected with the axles 14 15 of the burdenwheels that are connected to opposite corners of the shiftable frame and are adapted to ride against diametrically opposite sides of the wheel-hub. This connection and arrangement of the parts insures distribution of the Weight or load on the hub, and a part of the weight is transmitted by the frame 10 to the draft-wheel 12 to secure the necessary traction on the hub 6 of the traction-Wheel. The Wheels 12, 16, 1'7, and 18 are confined in the grooved inner face or guide-track of the Wheelhnb to lie in the vertical plane thereof, and the shiftable frame is arranged in close lateral relation to this series of wheels to reduce the strain laterally on the working parts to a minimum. v

Changes may be made in the form and proportion of some of the parts While their essential features are retained and the spirit of the invention embodied. IIence I do not desire to be limited to the precise form of all the parts as shown, reserving the right to vary therefrom.

By reference to Fig. 1 of the drawings, it will be noted that the annular hub of the traction-wheel is open or exposed; butto prevent the accumulation and lodgmeut of dirt in the annulartrack of the hubI may provide any suitable means for closing the opening of the hub in order to exclude the entrance of dust and dirt thereto. A skilled mechanic will readily supply a dust-excluding appliance; but I may mention that cap-plates may be applied to the faces of the annular hub in order to protect the Working elements of the traction-wheel from interference by accumulationsofdust. I have not considered it necessary, however, to illustrate the dust-excluding appliance, because the same will readily suggest itself to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is- The combination with a traction-wheel having an annular hub, of the angular frame situated Within said hub for its horizontal diameter to lie above the axis of the hub, burden-rods lying in the same horizontal lplane and connected to opposite corners of the frame, a draft-rod connected to the lower corner of the frame, guide-Wheels mounted on the burden-rods and engaging the hub, a burden-wheel of larger diameter than the guide-wheels and mounted on the draft-rod to ride upon the hub, and a separate guide- Wheel journaled at the upper angle of the frame and disposed in the vertical plane of the burden-wheel, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

I. S. KIM BRIEL.

Witnesses:

A. J. ANDERSON, JOHN W. GRAHAM.

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